1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bending apparatus for bending elongated blanks such as wire materials, rod materials, tubular materials, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wire form works obtained by bending wire materials such as iron wires, hard steel wires, and the like, have gained a wide application as cushion frames for the seat of cars, electric home appliances such as an oven toaster, and so forth. To produce these components, single-purpose machines typified by benders and air slides using a power press, a hydraulic press, a multi-press or an air cylinder have been widely employed in the past.
However, each of these machines requires a metal mold or a special jig analogous to the mold and a considerable number of production steps are necessary and the production cost is therefore high.
In addition, the bending direction of these machines is determined in advance and blanks cannot be bent in an arbitrary direction.